buck and her head shifted on the pillow. He had her entire body in motion as he filled her. Trying to fight off the orgasm as long as possible, she dug her fingernails into the cuffs.
Her body trembled as she came. The grabbing sensation inside of her gave way as a sudden warmth washed through her. She couldn’t control her breathing or her body. Her lungs strained to the point of bursting. Her heartbeat hammered in her ears. She felt it all as his body leaned forward and a low moan escaped his lips.
She knew he was coming but she couldn’t help him. Didn’t have the strength to do anything. Spent, her hands fell back against the pillows with her palms open. Her legs curled around him but she could barely feel his skin. Her body had turned to mush beneath him.
She lay there, gasping. When she turned her head to the side, the room came back into focus. The picture of Gabe and Brandon on the end of the dresser. Gabe smiling and so proud. The big wall mirror where she could have stolen peeks of him during their lovemaking before she lost the ability to think. It all registered, slow at first but then with greater clarity.
Gabe’s hot breath blew across her collarbone. His weight pressed her deeper into the mattress but she didn’t care. It anchored her. Filled her with an odd sense of security.
“Holy shit.” He mumbled the words against her skin.
She couldn’t help but laugh. Her body still tingled from the joint caress of his mouth and tongue. He’d been gentle at times and so determined at others. His hands had readied her until every cell begged for release. And when that release came . . . damn.
“You are a man of your word.” She could barely get the words out because her breathing refused to return to normal.
He lifted his head then. Balanced his elbow against the bed and pushed up a bit. “And you are pure fire.”
From him it sounded sweet. She was about to tell him that when he reached up and massaged her tight arm muscles. Feeling came back in bursts, like being poked with tiny needles. She gasped from the shock as he untied her arms and lowered them to drape over him.
His brow wrinkled. “You sore?”
She rubbed a hand over her opposite wrist then smoothed out the lines on his forehead. “Are you asking about my arms?”
His eyes roamed a little then. “I was, but now I want to know about all of you. You okay?”
He couldn’t think he hurt her. That never happened and she would never pretend he did. “I’m great.”
She meant that. He gave her so much. Treated her both as precious and as an equal. He had her head spinning and her thoughts jumbled. She wasn’t sure what to say or how to handle the rest of her life but she knew, with absolutely certainty, she did not want to leave him yet.
“Are you planning to take me to another safe house?”
“We’re staying here.”
He didn’t say “together,” but she heard the word anyway. Couldn’t believe she filled it in. That the panic stayed away. For some reason she needed him to know. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
His finger traced the line of her jaw. “You’re safe here.”
The words he didn’t say kept playing in her mind. He knew about her father. Understood that she’d never been really safe.
“I trust you.” She delivered the truth with more than a little shock.
His eyes closed for a second. When he opened them again they were clear and matched his grin. “Thank you.”
The perfect response. Not a surprise he knew what to say. He always seemed to. He hit life head-on and fought for what he wanted. The only bump to his peace was this Rick issue, and it loomed large. She wanted nothing more than to hand him an answer so he could move forward. His needs meant more than her own. Her life carried on in a confusing mess, not knowing what came next. But he deserved to know.
She brushed her fingertips across the line of his shoulders. “Would it be possible to arrange a meeting with Eli?”
“For what?”
“Lawyer stuff. He can pass messages to Bast for me.”
“About taking off?”
“No.” The thought of that sent bile rushing up the back of her throat. “You said I can stay, and I’m going to.”
“Good.” Gabe hesitated for a second then nodded. “Eli can come here. He understands safety